The Steelers finally got their stride back against the Broncos, and here are the three winners and two losers from their week five victory.
While far from perfect, the Steelers finally got back in the win column in week five. The offense relied on the run and the defense was resemblant of the “bend, don’t break” strategy from before, but at the end of the day, it worked. Here are the three winners and two losers from the Steelers 27-19 victory.
Steelers winner: James Pierre
Easily a top winner until late in the fourth quarter, James Pierre was responsible for both letting the Broncos back into the game and simultaneously ending the game in the fourth quarter. It has been an up and down season for Pierre, but he seemingly put up his best game tape this week against the Broncos. He was sticky in coverage and was solid tackling the catch if anyone caught a pass on him.
His long touchdown pass allowed to Courtland Sutton wasn’t ideal by any means. It once again showed that Pierre isn’t ready to play the deep ball on his own yet. That said, he made up for it later with a key pass breakup and on a few plays later, he snagged the game-ending interception. Overall, it was a strong game for the undrafted rookie.
While there are still plenty of areas that he can improve upon, Pierre has shown some growth as the season has progressed. He has issues covering the deep pass, but he is a physical cover corner that has shown progress. Even with the touchdown allowed, Pierre flashed some solid play during this week five victory over the Broncos.
Steelers loser: the run defense
I was consistently writing about how I thought that Javonte Williams was going to be a key impact player this week. While he wasn’t a game-breaker this week, he was still regularly gashing the Steelers’ run defense. Williams had just south of 90 total yards, but his 49-yard rush gave the Broncos an advantage during the game.
While Melvin Gordan wasn’t as dynamic, he was still effective at picking up some tough yards. Although, the Broncos had over 100 total rushing yards despite playing from behind for the entire game. It was a tough game for the Steelers run defense, and it is a further testament that this team is hurting on defense despite starting the season as one of the better defensive units.
While it wasn’t a deciding factor ultimately, the Steelers will have to get back to their dominant ways of stopping the run. A return for Carlos Davis should help in that regard, as the defense can pencil him into their base defense. This unit hasn’t been the same since week one, and it shows weekly as the Steelers struggle to stop the run.
Steelers winner: Chase Claypool
The Steelers were down a receiver in James Washington before the game, and it didn’t take long for JuJu Smith-Schuster to leave this contest with an injury. This meant the receivers were thin early on, but both Chase Claypool and Dionte Johnson stepped up. Of the two, Claypool was by far the most effective receiver, and his impact was felt all over the field.
On the day, Claypool totaled five receptions for 130 yards and a score on the day. His touchdown alone was a tough catch over the middle of the defense. He was also flashing his big-play ability, turning small catches into big gains. Claypool easily had his best game in the 2021 season, as he flashed the ability to be a top receiver in this game.
Moving forward, Claypool should continue to be a focal point in the Steelers offense. He has the highest potential out of any of the other receivers on the team, and that was on display today. Claypool can impact any game he plays in. His size and speed make him a mismatch no matter where he lines up. That was on display this week as he was dominant against the Broncos.
Steelers loser: Minkah Fitpatrick
While his overall game wasn’t horrible, Minkah Fitzpatrick has continued his relatively slow start to the season. He hasn’t been impactful in the passing game, and he has continued to miss tackles all over the field. For a safety that is trying to become the highest paid in the league, Fitzpatrick has underwhelmed this season.
His early struggles were on display against the Broncos when Williams broke out for his 49-yard rush. Fitzpatrick was right in line to make the tackle and he whiffed, which turned his run into the long one that it became. He needs to be able to make the tackle when needed. More importantly, he needs to be able to make some impact plays in the passing game.
The only redeemable aspect to this is that Fitzpatrick had a similar start to his 2020 season. A slow start could be remedied by a strong second half of the year. As for right now, Fitzpatrick has been more of a detriment than an aid for the Steelers. He needs to get back to his elite form if he hopes to get paid next offseason.
Steelers winners: Najee Harris
On this list for the second week, Najee Harris has really taken on the role of bell-cow for the Steelers’ offense. Last week, the stats weren’t there completely, but Harris’ power was on display as he consistently pushed the pile forward. This week was no different, as Harris gashed one of the best rushing defenses in the league en route to his best performance as a professional.
On the day, Harris had just over 140 yards and a rushing score. More importantly, the Steelers seemed content to trust Harris to help move the offense forward. Even with the run blocking unit not being elite, Harris was still a huge factor in propelling this offense forward. For the first time this season, the team could consistently rely on their running game to keep their offense moving.
Harris is progressively becoming more and more impactful for this offense. While he was receiving a huge amount of work, he is finally starting to make himself worth the first-round pick. He is taking every snap he gets and getting the most out of it. While it hasn’t been perfect so far, Harris has strung together quite a few impressive games.
While it wasn’t always pretty, the Steelers finally got back on the right track this week against the Broncos. While there are still elements the team has to improve upon, this win was huge for the team. It sets the team up for a huge game heading into week six.